


Flame

by ViridianPanther



Series: Thirty Days [6]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Flashbacks, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-19
Updated: 2012-07-19
Packaged: 2017-11-10 07:19:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/463666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViridianPanther/pseuds/ViridianPanther
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The dreams are becoming variations on a theme, now: all the times Shepard has failed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flame

"Wow."

Shepard shivers a little as Kaidan draws the covers over them, nuzzling into his back and splaying a hand across his belly.

"That was…"

"Yeah." Kaidan rests his cheek against Shepard's and gently rubs his chest. "Amazing."

"Is it always like that with biotics?" Shepard whispers. "Because when I was kissing you it was like licking a battery."

Kaidan snorts and pulls closer. "You've never been with an asari before?"

"I got close. Once. Never actually kissed her, though."

"Well," Kaidan whispers, smirking, "you're the first person in twenty years to make me lose control like that."

"Should I be scared?"

"No."

"Good," Shepard grins, tilting his head and lazily kissing Kaidan's nose. It's only been two weeks or so, but he's glad he said 'yes' already.

Kaidan isn't the most attractive person he's ever been with, but every time he sees his face, every time Shepard slips a hand to the small of his back, the little thrill rising in his chest makes him wonder if this is the first time he's ever _loved_ someone this way. Not the most attractive, by any means, but one of the most considerate, caring people he's ever known (and the way he clasps his hand and kisses Shepard on the cheek— _god_ , that's beautiful.)

Kaidan lets out a hot, moist yawn, and settles back against Shepard's cheek with a barely-whispered "g'night."

_This is nice._

"Actually," Kaidan says, suddenly, pulling back and rolling onto his back, "I'm gonna take a shower."

"Go ahead," Shepard mumbles as Kaidan slides out of bed. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Don't you dare," he grins, kissing Shepard on the cheek and disappearing into the cubicle.

Shepard lies back and locks his hands behind his head. The flare of the drive core and the twinkling of the stars is mesmerising, almost hypnotic, one of the few things that helped him get to sleep this time ten months ago, when this bed was empty, his scars were itching and the ship carried Cerberus insignia.

_God, it's been a long time._ In the last three and a half years, Shepard's life has been turned upside down, and there are days when he looks in the mirror and barely recognises himself.

Yawning, curling into a ball, Shepard closes his eyes and tries to take his mind off the weight on his shoulders—

_BOOM._

There's the wailing of a klaxon, and the haze, except he's not in the forest this time, and the little boy is jumping over crates, dashing up staircases, glimmering white as Shepard follows—

_"I am Sovereign—"_ and the radio crackles, and he barges past three people running the other way— _himself_ , with Liara and Wrex in tow; it's only as he reaches the upper level that Shepard realises the grim truth.

_"Screw that! We can handle ourselves. Go back and get Alenko! You know it's the right choice—"_ and Shepard's footsteps speed up, his breath panting, as the klaxon's blaring becomes ever more insistent.

_"I'm arming the bomb!"_ and there's a _whoosh_ from the sky as the _Normandy's_ engines power up, a roar as Shepard ascends the tower, three steps at a time, and Sovereign hoots in alien exaltation—

_BOOM._ The boy twinkles, and winks out, the fabric of his sweater vanishing into Ash's chest as she kneels, embraces him, gazes skyward at the tremendous shadow as the ship flees, and Ashley and the little boy are engulfed in flames, and—

_BOOM—_

Shepard gulps, shivers, and the flames vanish as he looks up to the stars once more.


End file.
